Google’s two operating systems, Android and Chrome, merge soon according to a report in The Wall Street Journal . The report further adds that the unified operating system will be launched in 2017 but Google will display an early version by next year.
Chrome is essentially being folded into Android, since the latter has become the more dominant operating system. By combining the two operating systems Android will run on laptops and desktop computers and the Chromebook will get a new name to reflect the new OS.
Although the main operating system will release in 2017, the preview will be demonstrated in Google I/O next year. This move marks an effort of Google to reduce the number of independent platforms it has kept over the years, The Verge reported .
The Verge also reported that when Google’s current CEO, Sundar Pichai was put in charge of both Chrome and Android two years ago, he tried to bring the the two operating systems closer in that time and now, he finally has the power to push his case.